1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer substrate and a transfer seal fit for various adherends such as the skin in particular to which it is adhered.
2. Related Art
Various types of transfer seals such for example as tattoo transfer seals are known, which include a water transfer seal, an organic solvent transfer seal, a pressure-sensitive adhesive transfer seal, and the like. Every transfer seal comprises a transfer substrate (e.g., transfer paper coated with paste, or transfer release paper or film treated with silicone resin or the like) as a material to be printed or coated, or the like for forming thereon a design layer (color printing layer, color coating layer, or the like) by printing, coating or the like, the design layer formed by printing, coating or the like, and an adhesive layer made of a water- or solvent-active adhesive or a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and optionally further comprising an antiblocking separator (release paper, release film, or the like).
When a water-transfer type tattoo transfer seal is to be transferred to the skin, the separator, if any, is first removed, and the adhesive layer of water-active or pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied and pressed onto the skin, while wetting the remaining portion of the transfer seal with water to swell and dissolve the paste layer of transfer paper. Then, the transfer paper is slid and separated in the nick of time when the transfer paper becomes separable from the design layer and the adhesive layer, whereby only the design layer and the adhesive layer are left on the skin. In the case of an organic solvent-transfer type tattoo transfer seal, the same transfer procedure as described above is carried out except that wetting with an "organic solvent" is effected instead of wetting with "water."
In the case of a pressure-sensitive adhesive type tattoo transfer seal having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer as the adhesive layer, removal of the separator is followed by direct attachment of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer to the skin with using neither water nor any organic solvent, followed by finally peeling off the transfer release paper or film treated with a silicone resin or the like. The basic structure of a pressure-sensitive adhesive type transfer seal, which is not limited to a tattoo transfer seal, is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 36,198/1965. Specifically, this seal is a transfer mark seal comprising a transparent printing layer formed, for example, on release paper (transfer substrate) treated with a silicone resin or the like, a predetermined multicolor printing layer formed by printing on the surface of the transparent printing layer, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed on the surface of the multicolor printing layer, and release paper (separator) adhered to the surface of the adhesive layer. When this seal is used, only the transparent printing layer and the predetermined multicolor printing layer are transferred and adhered to an adherend with the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer therebetween. The transparent printing layer works as a protective layer, which protects the multicolor printing layer after transfer to the adherend.
In every conventional tattoo transfer seal, the transfer substrate thereof is transfer paper coated with paste, or releasable transfer paper or plastic film treated with a silicone resin or the like, on which a design layer is formed either directly or via a protective layer by printing or coating. Thus, either the design layer such as a color printing or coating layer, or the protective layer occasionally provided thereon, which remains on the skin after transfer, is so glossy that it cannot exhibit a touch, or impression, of real tattoo. This is not limited to such a tattoo transfer seal, and there are no transfer seals capable of leaving a design layer or a protective layer occasionally provided thereon in a mat, or delustered, state on an adherend.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide transfer substrate and transfer seal capable of leaving a mat surface of the transferred portion of the latter on an adherend after transfer of the transfer seal.